part 1: Going With the Gut

 

 

“it’s easier to prepare and prevent, than to repair and repent”

~Ezra Taft Benson

Traveling, whether by plane ✈, train 🚆or automobile 🚘can be stressful to our bodies- especially our guts. No one wants their trip interrupted because they have to spend extra time parked on the pot 🚽 fighting constipation 🚫💩, diarrhea💩 or nausea😷. Here are some item suggestions on what to pack to prevent or repair these symptoms as well as some tips for bypassing a gruesome gut wrenching trip glitch– say that five times fast 😂!

What to Pack

•  PROBIOTICS: begin using them 1-2 weeks before trip and daily during the trip to get healthy gut flora in the colon  
• LAXATIVES: my go-to’s for instant relief are glycerin suppositories and Ballerina tea (taken the night before)
• Alka Seltzer and Pedialyte:   for nausea and dehydration due to good times and bad decisions
• Herbal Tea: peppermint, ginger, turmeric for upset stomach

PREVENTION

• Drink Plenty Water: if you plan on boozing it up or allowing the kids to indulge in sugary drinks, 8-16 ounces when you wake up and before bed and 1 cup after each meal (avoid ice cubes in places where water isn’t safe)
• Eat Fiber: be sure to include fruits, veggies, nuts and beans on your plate
• WASH YOUR HANDS!!: when we’re on vacation we fall out of habit but this simple act will prevent unwanted bacteria in our guts
• Consider packing food from home!: grain bars, nuts, dried fruits

 

Now this suggestion here is where I ask you to have an open mind, I learned this from a dear friend and client of mine (oh how I love hairdresser talk ❤), and did further research. This doesn’t mean not to dine out at all, but replacing 1-2 meals with homemade snacks or entrees isn’t a bad idea and OMG this is a major key to no bloat, diarrhea or constipation. You must have accommodations with a kitchen or at least refrigerator and microwave, then you’re good to go! I have prepared meals such as spaghetti, fried chicken, lunch meat, cereal and milk for family road trips, because it saves money and time if all you need to do is heat~n~eat, and the kids can serve themselves while you sip on whatever is in your “mind yo bizness” cup out on the balcony. But… BUT, I decided to do one better, for budgeting reasons and for the fact that I wanted to have all good bathing suit days without the bloat- I deep froze a couple of pre-cooked entrees, chicken and salmon steaks, that could be made into various meals! I am telling you that until this, I had it all wrong!!! First, I will tell you how I packed cooked food to travel out of the country and how it remained frozen for 12+ hours, then I will share the meals and surprising benefits to this amazing idea! Long ago when I was a rookie traveler, I thought that vacation meant spending lots of money on dining out and avoiding chores from home. As I grew to learn what makes me happy, I came to realize that I love spending time in the kitchen. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen during vacation- ain’t nobody got time for dat! Just allowing myself creative time in the kitchen was therapeutic, and did I mention a major money saver? Here’s how I packed my already prepared meats/main dishes for travel:

•   I placed them in air-sealed ziploc bags and deep froze them for 12+ hours, I also brought raw, peeled and deveined frozen shrimp  
•  Right before leaving for the airport ✈, (YES the airport! I carried my food from Philly to Barbados!) I placed them in a soft insulated cooler, the cooler should be filled to capacity so the frozen food acts as ice packs to one another. If there is extra space/air, fill with paper towels (which can be repurposed while on vacation) the cooler went right into my carry on! 

Here’s what I made:

•  chicken, shrimp and salmon alfredo ( I packed a jar of alfredo sauce and a jar of Lawry’s seasoning salt in my checked luggage- this whole entree could’ve been prepared then frozen in a ziploc bag but…)
•   I used the remainder of the meats to top salads for lunch. (I went to the nearby market for fresh salad ingredients and fruits)

 

 I will add that on this particular trip, I traveled with my 12 year old son and we ate good off of 2 salmon steaks and a quart size bag filled with curried chicken that a friend made for me. I will state the obvious, everything ain’t for everybody, but this worked for me and the many families who shared tips online! The surprise benefits were that when my son was too comfy and we both were too worn out from the beach to get dressed for lunch, we had great meals on hand! We ate in our pj’s on the terrace, and had great bonding moments because there were no distractions from loud dining crowds and no server interrupting our conversations about whatever a preteen thinks is deep in that moment, such as his Pokemon card collection or the “code names” he and his friends give their crushes! 

If you find this article useful, please share using the social media buttons and join our email list here! If you’ve tried out these tips or have some you want to share, please comment below!  In the meantime… Be well, Be balanced and Be AMAZING!

Here are a few vids and pics from our Mother and Son vacation to beautiful Barbados!